adrenaline

noun

adren·​a·​line ə-ˈdre-nə-lən How to pronounce adrenaline (audio)
: epinephrine

Note: Adrenaline is used in both technical and nontechnical contexts. It is commonly used in describing the physiological symptoms (such as increased heart rate and respiration) that occur as part of the body's fight-or-flight response to stress, as when someone is in a dangerous, frightening, or highly competitive situation, as well as the feelings of heightened energy, excitement, strength, and alertness associated with those symptoms. In figurative use, it suggests a drug that provides something with a jolt of useful energy and stimulation.

He felt a rush of adrenaline as he parachuted from the airplane.
The fans were jubilant, raucous, their adrenaline running high.—W. P. Kinsella
My reputation was as a single-day racer; show me the start line and I would win on adrenaline and anger, chopping off my competitors one by one.—Lance Armstrong
London's summer antiques scene has been given a massive injection of adrenaline.—Town and Country

Examples of adrenaline in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Guests have access to a vast network of solid rock trails for mountain biking that twist and turn through dry forest and a thermal canyon, and can spike their adrenaline by whitewater rafting on the Tenorio River. — Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 24 Aug. 2026 There’s a spike about an hour before first pitch, a rock-and-roll interlude to spur his adrenaline. — Zack Meisel, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026 After the emotions settled and some of the adrenaline wore off, the scene inside the Cubs' locker room wasn't necessarily what some baseball fans would come to expect out of PCA. — Mark Harris Outkick, FOXNews.com, 18 Aug. 2026 Even after years of inferior sequels and retreads, the pure adrenaline high of Die Hard remains inimitable. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for adrenaline

Word History

Etymology

adrenal entry 2 + -ine entry 2

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of adrenaline was in 1890

Rhymes for adrenaline

See All Rhymes for adrenaline

Browse Nearby Words

Adrenalin
adrenaline
adrenalized
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Adrenaline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adrenaline. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

Medical Definition

adrenaline

noun
adren·​a·​line ə-ˈdren-ᵊl-ən How to pronounce adrenaline (audio)
: epinephrine
—recognized by the British Pharmaceutical Codex as the preferred name for epinephrine in Great Britain

More from Merriam-Webster on adrenaline

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about adrenaline

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